Six Customer Service Areas to Check

Another check sheet could include watching and analyzing how well employees execute the following service process when interfacing with customers: (Check off if they completed this five-point customer service or selling process.)

__ Engage: How well did they introduce themselves, create a rapport out of the gate, or personalize the online experience?

__ Discovery: How well did they do at asking questions to fully understand the issue before offering a solution or approach?

__ Solution or Building Value: How well did they do in offering the right solution or approach? Did they offer the right solution based on what they learned in the Discover step?

__ Conflict Resolution: How well did they handle problems or any issues that could be considered something that would upset a customer?

__ Gain Commitment: How well did they come to agreement with the customer so both were on the same page and it was clear on next steps?

The more objective your are in doing this audit the better. Many large companies and banks have mystery shoppers, but get creative to do a deep dive—especially if you are a smaller printer. Most people are too close to the day-to-day internal operations to really know how they are perceived outside their four walls.

Try to live in the customer’s shoes. Do an internal audit and compare how your staff does while continuously monitoring the pulse of your customer’s perception. Call your company’s main telephone line during business hours and after hours to see how that experience is. Check your phone tree. Inspect what you expect from your customer service and constantly have a measurement process in place.

Good luck.